Birthday Celebrations: Mr Tan’s Big 60
A short and simple affair, but sweetness all around, as friends and family congregate to celebrate a man’s achievements in life
What’s it like to go through your 40th birthday? Your 50th? I’m still a good few years from even my 30th birthday, so I can’t contemplate the experiences, trials, and tribulations someone of Mr Tan’s age has encountered. And yet, on April 17, 2011, Mr K.C. Tan celebrated his 60th like a wild child who is still in touch with his youthful side.
It was a reunion of sorts as well, held at the historical Spring Court restaurant in Singapore’s Chinatown, for Mr Tan and his extended family. More than 50 showed up in a private floor reserved just for this occasion. The cause was grand, yet the proceedings were simple: feast on good Chinese food, reconnect with old friends and family, and be happy.
Myself, I was comfortable enough with two bodies and a number of prime lenses. I shied away from using flash at the dark areas of the restaurant and I didn’t want it to spoil the ambient light of the place. The nice, thin depth-of-field also narrowed focus while making the images more dramatic. I’d even rented the venerable 85mm f1.2 lens for this occasion, which you can see in some of these photos. The only thing to watch is when taking group shots – it’s important to increase the depth-of-field to get people in focus.
Despite it being a short and sweet affair, I think the significance behind this 60th birthday celebration really makes it special. Seeing everyone talk on old times and see each other after a period of absence is an eye-and-heart-opener. Will I have a similarly successful celebration when I turn 60? It’s way too early to say, but I can only hope.
